THE NEXT DAY.
Lucy had just awoken in her bed from last night. She opened her eyes hoping everything that had happened was just a nightmare and that the salmon haired dragon slayer would either be in her bed like always. She was saddened when only Happy was found in her bed and not the man she was looking for. She got dress and managed to wake up Happy now that the spell Zeref had used worn off of him and Carla. Walking out of her apartment she carried Happy in her arms only a few words were said to the other as they walked to the guild.
Once arriving at the front doors of her guild Lucy put her hand out to open them but before she could even get to the handle a tear ran down her cheek that made her stop and use her hand to push it away. Glancing at Happy who had a worried expression on his face she realized that she needed to handle this situation rationally and relax to make sure she could be ready for anything that could happen. Taking a few breaths to calm herself down and telling herself that everything would be alright helped her achieve a good composure so she could enter without worrying anyone. Stealing one last glance at the blue exceed she gave him a small smile before she pushed open the guild doors and was greeted with a sad and tired looking grin from Erza who looked like she had been waiting for her to arrive.
The red headed knight walked up to her while still managing to hold her small grin while she was doing this Lucy managed to take notice of the small black bags under her eyes informing her that she had not gotten much sleep last night. "This way Lucy your just on time for us to start the meeting." Erza informed. Lucy with Happy in her arms followed the red haired knight upstairs to a room with a magic seal on the door. After Erza opened the door Lucy looked around and took in consideration of how the room looked. The whole structure had black wooden walls with a red fairy tail symbol on the opposite side of the door along with a light brown wooden table with seats all around it in the middle of the room. Looking around Lucy now took notice of the people sitting around at the table. Some were silent. Some had serious and frustrated looks on their faces while others had faces of worry and concern and some *cough Gray cough* were half naked.
Lucy walked over to an empty seat next to Wendy and sat down giving the blue haired girl a small smile of reassurance that said that everything would work out alright and they would get through this even though Lucy knew they would have losses and major problems. Wendy looked up and returned the smile but it ended up faltering quickly. Wendy tried to put the smile back up but could only end up frowning. As Wendy frowned Lucy wondered how this was gonna turn out would it end with happiness or tragedy. As she pondered these thing she finally heard the voice of an old man and got herself back to reality.
"Alright" Makarov spoke sitting in the chair in front of the fairy tail guild mark on the wall. "What's the first problem of this situation we should take care of?" Everyone in the room looked at each other whispers going around trying to decide what to and not to do until a soft voice spoke up out of nowhere silencing everybody. "You need to know the truth before we start planning a battle correct?" They all turned their heads to face the owner of the voice and all ended up staring at a young girl with long blonde hair that went to the bottom of her legs and a nice pink and white dress. Gasps were heard around the room as everyone recognized the girl.
"First master Mavis what brings you here?" Gildarts questioned. Mavis opened her mouth to respond to him but before an answer could be given Gray spoke up. "What do you mean by the truth?" Everyone looked at Gray shocked then back at Mavis. Mavis expression turned serious and she spoke in a manner that scared the members of the guild watching her. "I mean the truth about everything that has happened in the last day or two. After all you must have wondered why does 2 people attacked you or why Natsu was taken have you not?" As Mavis spoke her face changed from a serious expression to one of regret and rage.
"We have." Erza stated calmness written all over her face.
"Then I'll just get on to the explanation as fast as I can." Mavis put her arm out and opened her hand as she did a gold light appeared in her palm. Once her hand was fully open in her palm she held out an old book with a brown cover and black like spots on it. On the front one word stood that caused all to be shocked and in rage but one person more then anyone. As the words were read the most frustrated person scowled one word that sent fear down the spines of those who truly knew what the book really was and the power and danger it possessed if opened.
"END!" Gray scowled between gritted teeth his eyes showered with anger and resentment. He looked like he was gonna jump over the table and grab the book to rip it apart to shreds any second now but somehow Juvia managed to hold him back and sit Gray back down in his chair.
"I see your all familiar with the book of END" Mavis stated. "What does that damn book have anything to do with saving that flaming idiot?!" Gray yelled getting impatient and somehow out of Juvia's grip to stand up and slam his hands on the table. Mavis sighed and looked at the boy with so much sympathy it had shocked him enough to sit back down. A frown present on her face as she finally managed to explain words that she knew would make some reconsider everything they knew about their salmon haired friend.
"Zeref became how he is to bring back the life of Natsu his younger brother who died during a dragon attack on their village 400 years ago" Several gasp were heard around the room as they took in this information before Mavis continued speaking. "As this was done the demon END was created as a substitute for life to make sure he would live again. As a price for saving his brother the god of life and death Ankhseram cursed Zeref with immortality. Zeref didn't wanna live anymore so he made it so END would kill him and since he lives with Zeref's magic if Zeref was to die END would also die with him which means Natsu would also die." Mavis paused again to let them process everything she had said and to catch her breath. "But as chances would have it Zeref has ended up changing his plans for some reason."
"What exactly has he changed his plans to?" Makarov asked frustrated he had no idea what would come out of all of this but he had no doubt in his mind that it would be absolute trouble for his guild. Mavis looked at Makarov and answered his question with all to much seriousness written on her face. "He plans to take over Fiore and is apparently going to somehow use Dracul, Natsu, and END to do it. Which is why I have obtained the book of END to prevent this from happening." All eyes were wide and questions flooded through their heads like water flowing through a river.
Lucy stared at Mavis with questions floating inside her mind like everyone else but one question was really bugging her like she needed to ask now feeling as if her very life depended on it, so she did just that. "If what you said is true then that means Natsu is connected to that book." Lucy pointed to the book in the first masters hand all eyes on her as she spoke. "And if you brought that book you probably must have a plan to prevent Natsu or END from destroying fiore right?" Mavis stared at Lucy in shock that she already knew he was connected to the very book she was holding. Coming out of her surprise Mavis smirked at the girl.
"Exactly and you Lucy Heartfilia are a key object for this plan to work." Mavis walked over to the girl one of her hands having the book of END and the other containing a small orb that looked as if it had two kinds of flames. One half red and orange and the other black with an almost dark blue and purple. When the flames connect in the middle it looked as if they were fighting for dominance on equal terms. All stared at the orb in wonder at its beauty. A short "Ahem" was heard from the first master to get her guild to focus again. "This orb is called the orb of souls used to capture the soul of whoever it wishes. I have used it to hold back Dracul from completely taking over Natsu but as a consequence it has also taken his soul from him as well. Making him just a shell of himself and taking away 1 half of his power." Mavis stated this in a calm voice but inside her head she was proud of herself for her accomplishment seeming as it takes a great amount of magic to do the task. 'Dang it Mavis focus!" She thought to herself mentally hitting herself back to reality.
"What does any of this have to do with me?" Lucy questioned. "I want you to guard these items with your life if they get in the wrong hands fiore, fairy tail, and Natsu will be gone forever which is why I'm trusting you to guard them cause I know you'll do well for the job but only if you abide with this. Do you accept your role Lucy Heartfilia?" Mavis held out her hands for the blonde to accept the items. Hesitating at first Lucy looked around the room to the looks of her guild mates all smiling at her with hope and trust. They were counting on each other but right now most of them were counting on her to do this. Letting out a breathe she didn't know she was holding Lucy turned her head back to face Mavis a smile on her face so bright and sweet it could rival her golden hair. "I do first master Mavis" Lucy said taking a slight bow to show her respect then standing up straight again with her hands out ready to accept the book and orb.
Once the orb of fire touched Lucy's hand it turned into a flaming locket the two fires still battling for dominance on the locket only now there was several shooting stars in the middle of the two seeming to make it even more beautiful as the stars shot from one half to the other moving like a real shooting star would at the same pace and brightness that shown brighter than any other. As for the book of END it seemed to shrink and put itself inside the locket like a placeholder to keep it in the right hands.
Picking up the locket from her hands with her careful fingers Lucy couldn't help but smile as she stared at it letting a tear make its way down her cheek. She now felt hope like no other as if her dragon slayer was here with her watching over her letting her know that he would return to her soon and calling her a weirdo like always and him sleeping in her bed with Happy at the middle of the night when they break in through her window. Oh how she missed those days. Lucy placed the locket around her neck and wiped away the rest of her tears from her eyes.
"Thank you first master." Lucy whispered underneath her breath quietly so only she would hear what was said. Soon after Lucy had thanked Mavis a loud noise was heard from the door causing all to turn their heads to look. A middle aged man with short brown hair and black eyes had slammed open the door and was sweating as if he'd run here from the other side of magnolia he could barely stay upright. As the man panted and held onto the door for support Erza walked over to him and started demanding answers on why he was here.
Taking out one of her swords Erza pointed it at the man who had now regained his breathing and he immediately noticed the sword pointed directly towards his neck. The man's eyes widened as he put his hands up in defeat. "We don't have a lot of time to deal with this right now but trust me I'm not an enemy I come from the council to deliver an emergency request for this guild." Erza looked at the man funny probably contemplating either what they could want or what kinda strawberry cake she was have later. Erza nodded her head at the man signaling he should speak already. "Th' magic council request the help of fairy tail to save a small village near Hargeon. It is under attack from something and judging from a scout we sent to map out the area the magic council wouldn't stand a chance at the moment to save the people or stop whatever is attacking."
Once the man had finished talking Erza looked at Makarov already having a clear idea of what might happen. "Erza, Gray, Lucy, Wendy, Gajeel, Levy, and Juvia along with the exceeds will go to the village and stop the attackers the other then them everyone else will stay here and continue with battle strategies." The seven of them along with the exceeds wasted no time to hurry to get a train to Hargeon as fast as they could. Once on the train they took their seats discussing who or what could be attacking such a small village. After the conversations seemed to cease because of all the motion sickness the dragon slayers were experiencing.
As the train continued Lucy fell asleep inside her dream she found herself in a place surrounded by stars and the flames that were located on her locket. "L-Lucy?" A voice stuttered from behind her that was all to familiar. Turning around as quickly as she could Lucy ended up coming face to face with a pink haired boy with one onyx eye the other a red darker then Erza's hair. She couldn't help but put her hands over her mouth to make sure the sob that threatened to escape her stayed down. Lucy could say a word all she could do was stare at the him until finally her hands left her mouth and she looked like she was gonna run and tackle him into a hug but something stopped her. His eye was red...Natsu had onyx eyes and yet one of them was red. Looking more closely Lucy could tell he looked stressed and was backing away from her slowly almost like he was scared of something. Before she could say a word he spoke. "Run Lucy!" He screamed looking behind her.
Not managing to see what was behind her fast enough Lucy ended up awakening with a shake from Levy who was looking at her like Lucy had seen a ghost. "Cmon Lu'chan we're almost there!" Levy exclaimed going to stand next to Gajeel who looked like he was about to get into a fight with Gray until Erza glared at them. Juvia and Wendy were chatting about stuff and Happy was just eating fish and offering it to Carla. Soon after just starring at stuff Lucy's hand found it's way to her locket twisting it around looking for comfort. As she twisted the locket around it suddenly got warm in a familiar way but she couldn't put her finger on it all Lucy knew was that it comforted her to no bounds like a person had just appeared and given her a warm and tight hug with a smile so bright the sun would get jealous.
The train door's finally opened as the train had stopped awhile ago. Getting up from her seat with Juvia and Wendy she could hear Erza and Levy telling everyone that the village was now currently a few minutes away and telling them the little information they had about the enemy. When suddenly a blast was seen from the forest and spoke pillowed into the air at tremendous amounts. Wendy and Gajeel sniffed the air then looked at each other shocked about something then ran towards the smoke as fast as they could the rest of the team following behind them and quickly catching up. Once arriving at the destination of the smoke Lucy stopped in her tracks looking at the scene of the village with her eyes wide in terror. Looking to the side of her she could hear screams of fear coming from Wendy and Levy. Gray and Gajeel looked a little scared and feeling a little sorry for what was in front of them while Juvia, Erza and Panther lily bore looks of sympathy and looked like they were prepared for battle with anything that came their way. While last Carla and Happy looked more then terrified and disgusted. Happy flew towards Lucy and into her chest to hold her tight.
"W-who would d-do something like t-this?!" Levy stuttered still trying to resist the urge to either throw up or falling to the ground. Everyone was speechless for in front of them was what used to be a village but now stood destroyed buildings and small farms everywhere you looked you could see blood and burnt houses beyond recognition. The thing that really scared the group wasn't the destruction that the town had went through it was the people. The villagers lay on the floor dead some beyond recognition blood was everywhere animals ripped apart into pieces. The group could barely tell if there was any survivors. They all stood there frozen until a roar was heard from further into the village.
"We have to keep going...We have to save the rest of the villagers if there are any and stop whatever is attacking!" Erza yelled starting to walk forward into the blood bath and death that now littered the place. As they walked further Lucy stopped now seeing the enemy clearer then day. In front of her she saw what was attacking the villagers but she soon realized it wasn't what was attacking it was instead who was attacking.
A man with red eyes that looked to hold no emotion and so deep you could sink into them like drowning. Teeth sharper then that of a wyvern. The tips of his hair a dark red. The thing that terrified her the most wasn't the blood on the man or his sharp teeth it was the smirk on his face that looked to hold no regrets in what it was doing. The smirk that only she and her friends should see a smirk that would be given to her in times of the upmost despair. The man turned his head to her direction his smirk still on his face as only a whisper was heard in the wind from Lucy as she whispered a name that once held hope and love that now only held fear and anger.
"Natsu." Was the only name that Lucy whispered a name she would never see the same way again.
And that's the end of this chapterI know the gore and stuff wasn't really as scary as Ihoped it would be but it was goodenough. I'm also kinda mad cause the chapter took longer to write then expected but anyways thank you all for reading.
I DON'T OWN FAIRY TAIL (I WISH I DID THOUGH)